Frankliniella juancarlosi, Borbón & Zamar, 2018

Borbón, Carlos Manuel De & Zamar, María Inés, 2018, Two new species of Frankliniella (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) from Argentina with a key to species from Argentina and Chile, Zootaxa 4369 (3), pp. 419-431 : 421

Frankliniella otites-valdiviana complex

A key to Frankliniella species with pore plates on sternite III in females was provided by Lima and Miyasato (2017), and that key indicated that F. otites has either two or one central pore plate. This information had been derived from de Borbón (2013). However, during the present work specimens identified as otites in de Borbón (2013) have been re-identified as F. valdiviana and F. juancarlosi sp.n. This conclusion is based on re-examination of specimens in EEA Mza INTA and comparison with images (sent by Dr. Goldazarena), together with the original description of F. valdiviana and examination of a paratype of F. otites . As a result, it is concluded that females of F. otites always have two pore plates on sternite III, and the main setae on the head and pronotum are more developed than on F. valdiviana . In contrast, the latter species usually has only one pore plate, although two placed close together are present in some specimens found in Mendoza, Argentina. Sakimura and O’Neill (1979) commented that all the type specimens of F. valdiviana have only one pore plate, as in F. tympanona Hood. Frankliniella juancarlosi sp.n. is distinguished from F. otites by the less well-developed pronotal and head setae and also presence of a microtrichial comb on tergite VII, this being absent in F. otites . This last feature has been observed in the whole F. otites type series (Dr Berzosa, personal communication).

Frankliniella inesae sp.n. is here based on specimens erroneously identified as F. valdiviana by de Borbón et al. (1999). These two species are distinguished by several characters, including position of ocellar setae pair III, length of main setae of head and pronotum, and the microtrichial comb on tergite VII.